Thursday, 22 May 2008

As if:book in London becomes an entity in its own right alongside the Institute for the Future of the Book in New York, we've been setting up our own website - thanks to inspired associate Toni Lebusque, and I've been trying to think through whether to set up a u.k. blog alongside the mighty if:book blog, found at www.futureofthebook.org/blog which has developed an impressive reputation and sizable following for its intelligent and radical investigation into the impact of the digital on our culture.

Bookfutures doesn't aim so high. I began writing it before linking up with Bob and the team. It's turned into my private space recently, but now feels like the moment to rekindle it and use it for THRILLING news of EXCITING if:book activity - when we have such news to impart.

Mind you, we do have plenty of exciting things on.read:write, by Sebastian Mary Harrington and I, is a report on the digital possibilities for literature, commissioned by Arts Council England.Digital Livings, commissioned by Prof Sue Thomas at De Montfort University, looks at how new media writers make their livings and how they might make better ones in future.We'll be communicating the findings of these reports as soon as they're published.

if:book's new board meets in June to discuss our future plans. Sue Horner of the QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority), Fiona O'Brien of the National Year of Reading and graphic designer Bill Mayblin have kindly agreed to join the board, providing invaluable advice and support to Bob and I.

Meanwhile I'm working on a mysterious fiction project with actor Toby Jones, and will reveal more about that shortly, as well as finalising the structure of a project based on the poems of William Blake, working title: Songs of Imagination and Digitisation.